The work is organised in seven Workpackages (WPs) and comprises 4 main parts.

Part 1 (WP1, WP2, WP5) is the backbone of the project and includes the
development of the MULTIBARRIER concept on a laboratory scale up to a pilot
scale.

In WP1, the compatibility of different key-components (the microbiology
and the coarse material) to function in a MULTIBARRIER system will be
examined in small-scale column systems by monitoring the removal of
pollutants in a model mixed polluted groundwater. The activity of
different microbial populations (endogenous and specific inoculants) will
be assessed in the presence of different (reactive) coarse materials under
a wide range of environmental conditions. Relevant growth-promoting
additives for the microorganisms will be tested. In addition, specific
well-performing microbial populations adapted to the MULTIBARRIER
environment will be enriched. Thus WP1 will allow us to define compatible
combinations of (reactive) coarse material and microbial input usable for
the MULTIBARRIER technology and to define a set of promising MULTIBARRIER
concepts.

In WP2, the potential of the chosen MULTIBARRIER concepts will be
studied and their activity will be optimised. The behavior of the
pollutants, their degradation/precipitation products and of additives
through the system will be monitored.

In WP5, the best-performing MULTIBARRIER concept of WP2, will be chosen
to be monitored in a container pilot scale system.

WP1 : Compatibility and synergy of different types of
coarse material are examined in small-scale continouos flow-trough
columns

WP2 : Large scale columns are used to study the
kinetics of the multibarrier in detail

WP5 : the underground container pilot scale system

WP5 : Johan is sampling the pilot scale multibarrier

Part 2 (WP3, WP4) includes the microbial characterisation of
well-performing MULTIBARRIER systems of Part 1 in order to understand the
(bio)chemical, physical and microbial interactions taking place in the system.

In WP3, the general microbial ecology and the biofilm communities
present in well-performing MULTIBARRIER concepts of WP2 will be studied
wich includes the study of the (bio)chemistry of the system on a
micro-scale. Possible stress situations that can occur in the multibarrier
will be studied in WP3-bis.

WP4 foresees the detailed characterisation of bacterial isolates coming
from the system.

In Part 3 (WP6) a technical implementation strategy of a full-scale
MULTIBARRIER will be worked out. In WP6-bis, special attention will be paid to
a MULTIBARRIER system that has to deal with a mixture of heavy metals,
inorganics and eventually also radionuclides.

Part 4 (WP7) foresees the management of the project and the
development of a methodology for easy transfer of knowledge towards potential
interested industrial and socio-economic entities.